Manado, N Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono has called for the acceleration of preparations for Sail Morotai 2012 international maritime event particularly concerning the construction of facilities and infrastructures.

"Indeed the preparations have been instructed, but it should be sped up," Agung said here on Saturday when inspecting the event`s preparations.

Morotai needed the construction of infrastructure such as a power plant, roads, harbors, an airport, hospitals, hotels, and schools.

The fishery and tourism industries in Morotai were potential, he said.

The government would invite investors to develop Morotai`s natural resources, the ministers added.

"This event will mark the revival of its tourism potential, in particular because Morotai is now a district administration having population of 70,000 people," he said.

Agung was accompanied by Maritime and Fishery Affairs Minister Sharif Cicip Sutardjo in his capacity as the chairman of the Sail Morotai National Organizing Committee.

The minister planned to hold a coordinating meeting on Sail Morotai with related ministers and would report the results to the head of state.

The president has issued a presidential decree No. 4/2012 on the implementation of Sail Morotai which will be held in September 2012.

The Transportation Ministry and Indonesian Air Force recently reached an agreement to allow Morotai airport in North Maluku which has so far served as an air force base to also function as a commercial airport.

Sail Morotai is aimed at boosting the people`s economic development and supporting the development acceleration in one of the outermost isle in North Sulawesi.

Indonesia organizes an international sail event annually on an outer most isle by hold a ship parade and a civic mission participated in by several countries.

The previous sail events included Sail Bunaken in 2009, Sail Banda (2010), and Sail Wakatobi (2011). Sail Komodi is planned to be organzied in 2013. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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